From four years ago, the name Song Chuyi had followed her like a shadow until now. Old Madam Cui awaited her like waiting for the stars and moon. Whenever father and mother sent letters, they always had to exclaim about this cousin sister’s exceptional intelligence. She felt as if she were engaged in an invisible competition with this cousin sister—competing for Old Madam Cui’s affection, the family’s regard, and also for reputation and appearance.

Today, upon suddenly seeing her, she too was somewhat stunned by Song Chuyi’s appearance. She had once seen her aunt’s portrait—indeed a rare beauty, but not to the point of being unmatched under heaven. Yet this cousin sister was clearly surpassing her predecessor. Standing there, she was just like the most beautiful magnolia blossom on a branch, making it impossible to look away.

After the evening’s welcome banquet for Song Chuyi concluded and she had dealt with all the commotion, she finally began practicing calligraphy. Her wet nurse, Little Nanny Xu, hurried over to urge her: “You attended lessons all day, then fussed about all evening. Look at the hour… Miss shouldn’t work so hard.”

Little Nanny Xu was Nanny Xu’s cousin. Now that Nanny Xu had also returned, for ease of address, everyone immediately changed how they called her, referring to her wet nurse as Little Nanny Xu, fearing they would confuse Little Nanny Xu with the Nanny Xu by Song Chuyi’s side.

The pearl curtain made a rustling sound as the wind blew. Cui Hualuan smiled and shook her head at her: “It’s no trouble, Nanny. The assignments the teacher gave—there’s no reason to neglect them just because a guest has arrived.” After a pause, she glanced at the pitch-black night outside and lowered her head to ask Little Nanny Xu matter-of-factly: “Nanny, did you see the Nanny Xu serving by cousin sister’s side?”

Little Nanny Xu rolled up the curtain for her while bringing over a glass beauty palace lantern to place on the table, fearing she would strain her eyes. Hearing this, she laughed quite happily: “I saw her, I saw her. Old Madam is most benevolent—she immediately let elder sister go home to see us, and you even gave me half a day off, didn’t you?” She sighed: “In the blink of an eye, twelve years have passed. Never thought we’d have a chance to meet again. Her daughter is already that grown up… She looks spirited and hasn’t aged much. I heard the young cousin miss treats her extremely well, specifically having her and her husband manage an estate, becoming the estate head and estate head’s wife, living very comfortably.”

Cui Hualuan’s hand paused, and a dot of ink spread along the imperial decree paper. She set down her brush, took a handkerchief to wipe her hands, then knelt on the white fox fur cushion under the south window, reaching out to touch her zither.

Little Nanny Xu felt her young lady seemed somewhat different from usual and asked somewhat suspiciously: “Miss is a bit off today. Do you have something on your mind?” Cui Yingshu and Madam Cui had gone to the capital four years ago and had only returned once until now. Cui Hualuan had been raised by Old Madam Cui since childhood and was also very close to her wet nurse Little Nanny Xu, so Little Nanny Xu naturally asked.

Cui Hualuan’s hands were very beautiful—each finger rounded from base to tip, the joints in between almost invisible, proportioned and slender. Her fingernails were trimmed smooth and translucent with perfect curvature, even dyed with pink flower juice. At this moment, her delicate pale hands rested on the zither strings, yet there was no movement for a long while—something that had never happened before.

Danqing simply assumed she was about to play the zither and specifically burned incense she had personally blended first. But as the fragrance rose sinuously with the wind, Cui Hualuan instead swept both hands across the zither and stood up again.

“Go find out if the lights in Grandmother’s courtyard have been extinguished.” She instructed Danqing: “If not yet, come back and tell me first.”

After Danqing left, Danzhu led maids to make up her bed. Only then did she sit before her dressing table, attended by Little Nanny Xu removing the hairpins and ornaments from her hair. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smiled: “Nanny, cousin sister is truly beautiful.”

Little Nanny Xu also smiled, taking a peachwood comb to gradually smooth her hair bit by bit, carefully applying hair oil to maintain it: “She is beautiful. Aside from you, I’ve never seen such a beautiful young lady. Seeing her at first glance, one would think a flower fairy from heaven had descended to earth… Also thanks to that outfit she wore—sleeves flowing like clouds. Though winter clothing, it didn’t appear heavy at all. That snowflake gauze outer eight-panel skirt below was even more radiantly brilliant. They say clothes make the person…”

Cui Hualuan lowered her head and said no more. Father and mother always wrote praising this cousin sister. Sisters Cui Huaying also spoke of her with unanimous acclaim. Only upon meeting her in person did she realize they truly hadn’t exaggerated one bit.

She sighed faintly. Danqing returned to tell her: “The washing and lights haven’t been put out yet, but Old Madam isn’t at Rongan Courtyard. Just now Second Madam and Third Madam accompanied her to Yanghuang Studio.”

Old Madam Cui was an elder, one of the Cui clan’s highest in both seniority and status. No matter how much she favored Song Chuyi, she shouldn’t lower herself to personally visit her. Yet Old Madam Cui still went.

Little Nanny Xu couldn’t help but feel emotional: “Old Madam has waited for young cousin miss too long, and young cousin miss is truly pleasing…”

Cui Hualuan impassively wiped the lip rouge from her lips and said expressionlessly to Danzhu: “Go prepare the washroom.”

Since Old Madam Cui had gone to see Song Chuyi, she wouldn’t return to Rongan Courtyard for quite a while. By the time Old Madam Cui returned to Rongan Courtyard, who knew how late it would be. She still had the teacher’s lessons tomorrow and couldn’t delay.

She nestled into the bedding already warmed by hot water bottles. Her long lashes cast shadows under the lamplight. Little Nanny Xu lovingly stroked her hair, lowered the bed curtains for her, and blew out the lamp.

Yet Cui Hualuan suddenly called out to stop her, opening her eyes—a pair of eyes gleaming brilliantly beneath the candlestick Little Nanny Xu held in her hands.

Little Nanny Xu responded and bent down with concern to ask: “Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

Though Cui Hualuan was usually quiet, today she seemed excessively so. Little Nanny Xu worried she had caught a chill from the wind.

Cui Hualuan shook her head, extending one hand to tug at Little Nanny Xu’s hem. Little Nanny Xu couldn’t help but smile, sitting on the footstool to keep her company in conversation: “You’ve been gloomy all day. Do you have something on your mind? Were you wronged at school?”

That shouldn’t be possible either. The first branch had few girls—only Cui Hualuan, Cui Huaqing, and Cui Huayao, three people, all outstanding, like stars surrounded by the moon in the academy.

Cui Hualuan wanted to say something but in the end still hesitated and said nothing, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Little Nanny Xu had no way with her. Cui Hualuan had always been deep in thought, thinking much. She sighed, lowered the curtains, turned, and went to the side room.